The Encyclopedia of Ancient Natural Scientists: The Greek tradition and its many heirs

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The hupothesis to Id. 11 recounts that Nikias replied to Theokritos with a short poem in
hexameters; in the opening, preserved in the scholia, he said that Ero ̄tes inspired many poets
previously amousoi (SH 566). The same source informs us that Nikias was a fellow student of
E, according to D  E, and also the author of epigrams.
Therefore, it is probable that he is to be identified with the homonymous poet defined
by Meleagros in his Garland (AP 4.1.19) as khloeron sisumbron, a plant sacred to Aphrodite ̄
and with great healing properties, in which we may see an allusion to Nikias’ experience in
amatory matters, consistent with Theokritos’ account. Eight epigrams are transmitted
under his name in the Anthologia Palatina and in the Planudean: three were written for the
dedication of objects to Athena (AP 6.122), Artemis (AP 6.127) and Eileithuia (AP 6.270);
two are inscriptions for a statue of Herme ̄s (APl. 188) and one of Pan (APl. 189); two have
insects as subjects (AP 7.200 and 9.564); and one is an inscription for a fountain built by
Simos for the grave of his son (AP 9.315).


W. Schott, Arzt und Dichter: Nikias von Miletos (1976); A. Lai, “Il chloeron sisumbron di Nicia, medico-poeta
milesio,” QUCC 51 (1995) 125–131; BNP 9 (2006) 720 (#4), M.G. Albiani.
Claudio Meliadò


Nikias of Nikaia (1st c. BCE?)


Author of a Successions of Philosophers quoted by Athe ̄naios, Deipn. 4 (162e), 6 (273d),
10 (437e), 11 (505b, 506c), 13 (591f), but not by D L.


Mejer (1978) 63–64; DPA 4 (2005) 666–667, R. Goulet.
Jørgen Mejer


Nikolaos (Math.) (350 BCE – 460 CE)


Wrote a political interpretation of numbers, especially the marital number, in P’s
Republic, that was paraphrased by M: P In Plat. Rep. (2.25–26 K.).


(*)
PTK


Nikolaos (Pharm.) (150 BCE – 95 CE)


A P., in G CMGen 5.11 (13.831 K.), records his plaster, composed
of acacia, antimony, myrrh, opium, and verdigris, in gum and wine. P  A
7.17.44 (CMG 9.2, pp. 358–359) records his 40-ingredient blood-stanch (enaimos), including
various oxides and minerals, aloes, bdellium, various resins, mandrake, and opium;
cf. Idem, 4.37 (CMG 9.1, p. 358).


Fabricius (1726) 346–347.
PTK


Nikolaos of Damaskos (ca 40 BCE – ca 10 CE?)


Born 64 BCE, major political and intellectual personality of Judea, Nikolaos was minister
and personal counselor to Herod the Great, king of Judea, before going with Herod
Arkhelaos to Rome, where he settled, in the court of A, and tutored the chil-
dren of M. Antonius and K VII. Distinguished encyclopedic scholar and


NIKOLAOS OF DAMASKOS
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